A member of the Boston-based gang, H-Block, has been sentenced to over three years in prison for drug-related charges. Avery Lewis, also known as “Wave,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Lewis admitted guilt to two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Lewis was among ten H-Block members charged in August 2024 after a multi-year investigation initiated in 2021 due to increased gang-related drug trafficking and violence. The investigation led to the seizure of over 500 grams of cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and more than 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper.
The H-Block street gang is recognized as one of Boston’s most feared gangs. Originally formed as the Humboldt Raiders in Roxbury during the 1980s, it re-emerged as H-Block in the 2000s. Members have a history of violent encounters with law enforcement, including a notable incident in 2015 involving an unprovoked shooting of a Boston Police officer.
Lewis was identified as a long-time member involved in daily street-level drug dealing. He sold cocaine multiple times to an undercover officer and coordinated other criminal activities with fellow gang members.
In April 2023, Lewis was arrested with approximately 250 grams of cocaine found in his vehicle. Additionally, he faced state charges after a March 2024 altercation where a concealed gun fired by him struck a Boston Police Department officer. This resulted in a seven-to-nine-year state prison sentence.
Lewis’ criminal record includes previous convictions for possessing large quantities of cocaine and unlawfully possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
This sentencing marks the first among defendants involved in this case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Stephen Belleau from the DEA; Randy Maloney from the U.S. Secret Service; Ted E. Docks from the FBI; and Jonathan Mellone from the U.S. Department of Labor announced these developments.
The investigation received support from various agencies including Massachusetts State Police and several local police departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley and Jeremy Franker are prosecuting these cases under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations.
All details within charging documents remain allegations until proven beyond reasonable doubt.
